Nadda, CMs of BJP-ruled states, other leaders likely to attend swearing-in ceremony in Haryana

BJP working president J P Nadda, Union ministers and the chief ministers of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh are likely to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Manohar Lal Khattar as the Haryana chief minister here on Sunday, party sources said.

Some BJP MPs will also attend the event at the Haryana Raj Bhawan in the afternoon.

Jannayak Janta Party leader Dushyant Chautala will take oath as the deputy chief minister. His father Ajay Chautala and mother Naina Chautala are also likely to attend the ceremony.

Ajay Chautala, lodged in the Tihar Jail in Delhi after his conviction in a teachers' recruitment scam, has been granted furlough for two weeks. He is scheduled to leave the Tihar Jail on Sunday.

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat and Himachal Pradesh CM Jai Ram Thakur are among chief ministers of BJP-ruled states who are expected to attend the ceremony, the sources said.

In his first term, Khattar had taken oath on October 26, 2014, which was attended by a galaxy of leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, L K Advani, Amit Shah, Union Ministers and Chief Ministers of several BJP-ruled states, besides Akali Dal veteran Parkash Singh Badal.

In a departure from the past, the oath-taking function in 2014 was held at Panchkula instead of Chandigarh, the common capital of both Haryana and Punjab.

However, this time, the function will again be held in Chandigarh.

Sixty-five-year-old Khattar is all set to head a new government in Haryana with JJP leader Dushyant Chautala as his deputy after the governor on Saturday invited him to lead the coalition which also has the support of seven independents.